Shadow Doctors 20+ Hours/Week in Spain

Atlantis has been an amazing experience. I went to Valladolid, Spain. I learned so much in my two weeks in Spain with Atlantis and got opportunities I would not have gotten where I am from until later in my schooling. I would really recommend it. The first week went slow because you are getting used to a new city and culture, but when it come to the second week it goes super fast and by the end your sad it went by so fast. I created relationships with people all over the States and even got really close to my doctors. There were sad goodbyes on the last day from everyone, the doctors, fellows, and site manager. I choose to take advantage of my time in Europe and I traveled before my fellowship and I stayed a week after. Would really recommend this experience to perspective medical students.

Beautiful city, beautiful nature, wonderful food, wonderful hospital staff, the Atlantis program in Ferrol had it all! From the beaches to the forest to the restaurants and to the hospital, there was not one thing flawed! When going to Ferrol do not forget your sun screen, hiking boots, and appetite for sea food. The beach at Doninos was the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. The hike in Las Fragas was extraordinary. The food in Ferrol was so delicious, my favorite by far were the zamburinas at the resturant, La Cantina. Zamburinas can only be found in the coast of north western Spain, the region known as Galcia, which makes the eating of these zamburinas a must for any sea food lover. If I ever get the chance to travel to Spain again, I will most definitely have to stop by Galicia!

I went to Zaragoza Spain, it is the 5th largest city in Spain and it is the capitol of the Aragón region. It was a life changing experience! The city had a big city feel without an overwhelming amount of people. The local people were incredibly friendly, the hospital staff were also incredibly friendly as well and super helpful. Being in such close contact with patients and techniques in the health care system that you wouldn’t see in the states has really opened my horizons to how medical care is given around the world. I still keep in touch with some of the doctors I shadowed! Getting around was super simple with the tram system, everything was about a 5-10 min walk. Our site manager Maria was amazing she handled any stressful situations with ease and easily became our best friend. I highly recommend this trip!

I did the shadowing program for 4 weeks in Pontevedra, Spain and it was truly life-changing. We were treated practically like residents in the hospital and got to see the surgeries up close and personal, treated like locals in the city, living right by the major plaza, and each of us felt like we built incredible friendships. The excursions were breathtaking and my site manager is one of the best people I’ve met in my life. I recommend this program to anybody, even if they’re unsure they want to do medical school because the experience is incredible and it will tell you for sure if it’s what you want to do. I came in wanting to be an obstetrician and during my obstetrics round, I confirmed that it is exactly what I want to do. I know many people with similar experiences or some who thought they wanted one thing but now they want another. Truly spectacular experience.

The Atlantis Fellowship is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not only are you able to shadow intelligent and outstanding doctors, but you are able to immerse yourself in a new culture that teaches as much as it does enlighten you. I am so glad I took a new step toward my medical career and went with the Atlantis Fellowship. The doctors are kind, encouraging, and genuinely care about your learning experience. I was able to see many operations and the doctor-patient interaction that is held in Spain. I plan to take some tips from these doctors as they were very reassuring and kind to their patients. The activities outside of the program left me speechless such as Park Guell, the Sagrada Familia, and Paddle boarding. I was also able to travel to Costa Brava for a weekend adventure and I have never seen such clear water. The program offers a lot of opportunities that I wouldn't give up for anything.

This fellowship was absolutely life-changing. It really affirmed my love for medicine and the future success I will have in my medical career. If you know you have a passion for medicine, or even if you aren't sure, Atlantis Fellowship will answer any concerns and questions so you leave knowing what you want to do with your career! During this fellowship, I was able to shadow surgeries while being in the OR with the surgeons performing the procedures and I was treated with respect as physicians were eager to teach so that I could actually learn while observing. The content I observed during this fellowship simply could not have been done in the United States, through the consults, to the Emergency Department, to the Operating Rooms, the obeservations were incredible and life-changing to witness.

It was awesome and a unique experience! All the doctors are kind and very helpful. You get to see a lot of stuff especially in te surgery area, it was amazing! It’s a little different than in the US and sometimes there is a language barrier but all the staff try their best to help you out and to explain everything to you. Besides shadowing, you have the opportunity to visit the city and to travel to other cities. You go in a group to a near city and spend the day there. You have also free time in which you’re free to go wherever you want as is another city, etc for a whole weekend! There is also group dinners and activities in the city which really helps you to connect with other fellows. This experience was more than I expected. It was awesome!

Going on this fellowship was the best experience of my life. I went to Vigo, Spain for four weeks. I was able to see several different specialties that I've always dreamed of seeing and got to see what it was like to work for a public healthcare system. I specifically saw anesthesiology, vascular surgery, obstetrics and emergency medicine. If I could recommend this to everyone, I would! This experience is especially helpful for those on a premedical track in their undergraduate years. Even if you are unsure about what path you would like to take in the medical field, this experience exposes you to different options such as nursing, technicians and administrative jobs in the hospital. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world as it affirmed my interests in medicine and has pushed me to work harder in the classes I will be taking in the future.